Access from home

[button_ripple]

I want to be able to access our network (mainly the servers) from home on a vanilla windows network. We have 3 servers all running server 2k3.

any ideas? ideally i would like something free!!

Also, we use E2bn for our broadband at school. Can I do this through them?

[Jona]

logmein? https://secure.logmein.com/home.asp?lang=en
or vanilla VNC UltraVNC: Remote Support Software, Remote Support tool,Remote Desktop Control, Remote Access Software, PC Remote Control

Or setup a VPN server which you can authenticate against and then use remote desktop.

[SYNACK]

Don't know about whether your broadband will allow it but the Microsoft remote access stuff is free (vpns). Just go into "Routing and remote access" (admin tools) on a server and set it up to take incoming VPN connections. Then get your ISP to open up the right ports and configure the router to point VPN packets at the server that you chose.

I have them setup at all of my client sites, free, easy, reliable. If you have ISA it even has a whole bunch of wizards to do most of it for you.

[Diello]

LogMeIn - supurb

[jcollings]

LogMeIn - supurb

Another vote for logmein - I have it on my work PC and just control that from home to access servers etc.

[DMcCoy]

rdp is faster than vnc/logmein and better suited for server to server connections too.

[jcollings]

rdp is faster than vnc/logmein and better suited for server to server connections too.

I only use it to log in to my work desktop PC - I control the servers via RDP from that. Can't say I've noticed any speed issues.

[Dafty]

We use Citrix at our main site and it is fantastic for doing maintenance work from home.

it does cost quite a bit but it is definitely worth it in my opinion.

[tech_guy]

Yup, go for Logmein - I use it for work and for a whole load of other PCs I look after.

[PatBoland]

Another vote for LogMeIn - I have servers and my desktop available at home. Also have Aventail VPN Connection via the LA but it is not as quick or as stable as LogMeIn.

[kestrel1]

We have Citrix which is used for most remote access & I can RDP into the PDC by using one of our external static IP addresses. Easy. RDP is restricted to admin accounts.

[zag]

VPN + RDP here, works flawlessly.

[maniac]

I have SSL explorer installed to provide remote access for us and a few selected staff, and file access to all staff. The community edition is free to use, although all traces of that seem to have vanished from their website recently, so I think the days of it being free are numbered.

[JamesC]

RDP all the way. I hate installing unnecessary applications on my servers. Why bother with the likes of logmein and vnc when microsoft have provided a perfectly functional tool (RDP) for you anyway? Plus the likes of vnc are EASILY exploitable, believe me

[Joedetic]

I agree with regards to the MS RDP stuff. It's fine. You can access the target server with both Windows and Linux/BSD etc.

MSTSC to one of your servers (ours was the ISA server I believe) then from that session MSTSC to another server within your network.